Hades froze, helpless.
Kronos was about to bring his scythe down, the blade still glowing with power for the final blow.
Kael just watched. Then—
Everything slowed down.
Without thinking twice, Kael moved. The next thing he knew, he had dashed forward, throwing himself in front of the strike. The moment their weapons clashed, a brutal shockwave exploded outward, tearing through the ground beneath him. A massive crater formed under his feet, cracks spreading like veins through the battlefield.
The force was overwhelming. Too powerful.
"Damn you, old man," he muttered, whilegritting his teeth, trying to stand his ground. But the scythe was slowly coming down on him. His arms started to give up. His knees buckled. He couldn’t stop it.
Just as the blade was about to pierce through him—Hades was able to move.
At the last second, shadows swallowed Kael and himself in an instant, pulling him away just before the strike could land.
Kael fell to his knees, struggling to breathe. His legs felt like steel. He tried to stand, but his body wouldn’t listen.
Kronos stood tall, his scythe still radiating with power.
Hades whispered, "Kael, wait for my signal to attack."
At first, Kael didn’t want to. But he realized that fighting recklessly would only hold Hades back. Trying to fight and protect him at the same time would be dangerous.
So he waited, slowly trying to heal up.
Every minute that passed—Kronos grew stronger.
Hades was starting to slow down, exhausted.
Kael didn’t know what to do.
Shadows coiled around Kronos, forming into chains, wrapping around his arms—
Kronos pulled the chains—dragging Hades toward him.
He lifted his scythe—ready to slice Hades in half in mid-air—
As soon as the strike hit, Hades turned into smoke.
He reappeared behind Kronos, unleashing more chains. They wrapped around his other arm—then suddenly—
Flames of the Underworld erupted.
The flames burned brighter.
Kronos dropped his scythe.
Slowly, the chains and shadows wrapped around Kronos’ entire body.
Hades shouted, "Now, Kael! Put everything into your sword—and pierce him!"
"No! That will kill you too!" Kael shouted.
"That’s the only way!"
"Please don’t make me do this"
"Kael there is no other way"
"I can’t—I promised Mother I would bring you back!"
"Kael, if you don’t do this—everyone will die. Even your mother. Now do as I say! I’m losing control! Do it fast!"
Kronos was able to free one of his arms, ripping through the chains and shadows. He muttered to Hades, "I will rip your soul to pieces once I get out."
"Kael, do it! This is an order!" he screamed.
Kronos twisted his body and, with his freed hand, grabbed onto Hades’ neck and started to choke him.
"Please, Kael, do it now," words barely came out.
"The pain. The guilt. The weight of this choice."
"Even if it shatters me—"
"Even if I never forgive myself—"
"I will see this through!"
Kael’s tears fell uncontrollably. His sorrow bled into his shadows, slithering into his blade.
"Now awaken, Shadowbind."
The sword glowed bright with crimson red.
"Forgive me, Father—"
Kael drove his sword through Kronos and his father’s chest.
Kael and Kronos both struggled to move, their bodies barely holding together. Hades slowly started to fade, his body flickering like a dying flame. Kronos, who was also broken and desperate, dragged himself across the shattered ground, clawing toward his fallen scythe.
The sword slipped out of his fingers. His hands shook uncontrollably. Then he looked down at his hands—as he did, his vision became blurry with tears. His hands were covered with his father’s blood. He grabbed his chest and started gasping uncontrollably.
Then, a voice. Faint. Weak. But warm. A voice that brought him back to his senses.
"You did good, Kael... you did good."
Kael’s body shook. His chest clenched; before he could stop himself, he broke.
"Why me?" His voice was now broken, filled with pain. "Why do I have to go through all this? Why can’t I have a normal life?"
Hades gave a small, tired smile. "I know, Kael... and I’m sorry. I never wanted this for you."
Kael swallowed hard, his throat burning. He dropped on his knees next to his broken body.
"You knew this would happen, didn’t you?" he muttered. "You knew you weren’t coming out of this alive. Mother knew too."
Hades coughed, blood dripping from his lips. Yet his gaze remained on Kael . Unshaken.
"Yes." His voice was barely a whisper now. "This was always my fate... my path. And I chose it." He exhaled slowly. "To protect you. To protect your mother. That was always my reason."
Kael clenched his fists, his breath shaky.
"Then what about me?" His voice was broken. "What am I supposed to do now?"
Hades’ expression softened. For the first time, there was something in his eyes—it was guilt for letting a child carry the curse.
"I never wanted you to go through this, Kael..." he admitted. "I never wanted you to carry such a burden." He closed his eyes for a moment, as if the weight of the world rested on his chest. Then, he looked at his son one last time.
"But the choice is yours."
Kael’s breath slowed.
"You don’t have to walk the same path as me." Hades’ voice was weak, but his words were soft. "You are not me. You don’t have to take on this responsibility." His tone was now shaky. "But if you do—then it’s up to you how you want to do it."
Kael felt his hands shaking. His heart pounded in his chest.
"What if I fail?" he whispered.
Hades gave him a knowing look. "Then fail. But fail on your own terms."
He reached out, his hand resting on Kael’s head, and patted him—a father’s final act.
"Whatever happens next, it’s your choice. Not mine. Not fate’s." His grip weakened, fingers barely holding on. "But if you do take this path, Kael... don’t walk it with regret."
Kael felt the warmth of his father’s fading presence.
"Keep your mother safe..."
As he said that, he reached out his hand toward Kael, petting his head one last time. "You have grown," he murmured, his voice filled with pride. With his last breath, he passed his power to Kael, passing the torch.
Before Hades completely faded away, he started to chant:
"No god, no titan, no force shall break these chains."
"I am the gate. I am the seal. And I shall hold—until time itself is nothing but dust."
The words carried weight—a final decree, an unbreakable law.
Then, Hades began to fade. His body dissolved into shadow, into mist, into nothingness.
For the price of his soul, the Gate of Tartarus was reborn.
Without warning—chains erupted.
Black as the abyss, thick as serpents, they lashed out from the newly sealed gate, striking like hunting beasts.
They snapped around Kronos’ legs.
The Titan roared, his massive body thrashing as he tried to pull free.
His scythe—just out of reach.
He lunged for it, fingertips stretching toward the weapon—the last thing that could save him.
But he couldn’t reach.
The chains pulled harder.
Tartarus would not let him go.
And as the Titan was being pulled into Tartarus, he screamed.
"I WILL KILL YOU, SON OF HADES!"
The gate slammed shut.
Kronos’ final scream faded away.
Kael stood there. Alone. Staring at the gate that now held his father... and the Titan of Time.